No More Linux for PS3s

Firmware 3.21 will disable the ability to install other OS onto the “fat” PS3 including Linux from April 1st, Patrick Seybold, Sony’s Senior Director of Corporate Communications & Social Media, has said. This means that you will no longer be able to get Linux on any of the models of PS3. But why has this decision been made? Hit the jump for more info.

The reason given for the removal of the Other OS feature was a “security concern”. This “concern” is most likely the same person that hacked the iPhone and iPod Touch, Geo Hot. He has recently been working on a hack for the PS3 that will run from Linux. Sony has obviously seen this as a potential backdoor for pirates, who if they were to get through, would take a large chunk of software sales from Sony, just as they have with the PSP. Then it was a simple decision between which would cost them the most money, the loss in software sales due to pirates or the loss in hardware sales due to the lack of Linux and obviously they figured that piracy would cost them more.

It should also be noted that this upgrade is optional, however if you do not update you will no longer be able to sign into PSN, play some video content or play games and blu-ray movies that require v3.21 or later. This is basically a very one sided deal and you’d have to be pretty crazy about Linux to consider not updating. However Geo Hot has advised his users not to update as he will find a “safe way” round this new firmware

So will this be affecting you? If so you may want to check out the Playstation Blog post that gives you details on how to back up your files before reverting to the Playstation OS here. Or if you want to wait it out for Geo Hot to save the day, keep an eye out on his twitter feed here for updates.